Can't Your Sales and Marketing Team *Just* Get Along? Your Bottom Line Depends On It.

For bigger teams, misalignment between sales and marketing isn’t just frustrating. It’s expensive. If your teams aren’t talking regularly, you’re likely leaving revenue on the table. 

One of marketing's jobs is to make sales easier (if not to achieve sales directly). But in too many organisations, both teams are working hard without working together. Marketing builds awareness and drives leads. Sales fields calls, manages objections and closes deals. But rarely do the two compare notes. We know, everyone is busy doing their own jobs. 

A disconnect creates a clunky customer journey and slows down the path to conversion. Here are some informal, practical and *really* (honestly) easy ways for marketing and sales to get aligned and improve organisational outcomes. Yep, big ones like the bottom line. Think decreased cost per lead, decreased lead time and increased conversion rate. 

First, why alignment matters. 

OK, ok, as bleeding heart strategists, we start with the 'why' on everything. It matters here because if you know the why, dear reader, you can convince decision maker stakeholders to give a sh*t about getting aligned. Your Head of Marketing and your Head of Sales, for examples.

So here it is. Your sales team hears the unfiltered truth from the horse's (customers') mouth. They speak to customers daily. They know what’s confusing, frustrating and what's resonating. They deal with real-time objections and test what language can actually shift a prospect's mindset and influence their behaviour in person, over the phone, live chat or email. 

Over in marketing and brand, they shape perception and build trust at scale. It’s their job to capture attention and communicate the brand’s values, unique selling points, features and benefits etc. En masse. At scale. To their entire existing and potential audience. 

When the two feed into each other, your messaging gets sharper. Content becomes more useful. Leads convert faster. Everyone benefits. Still sounds like word salad? These questions should give you that satisfying 'aha' moment. 

Practical Questions Sales and Marketing Can Ask Each Other To Improve Organisational Outcomes Including the Bottom Line 

This isn’t about massive structural change. It’s about asking the right questions more often. Don't overcook it or ask too much of anyone. This exercise can be formal, informal, in a regular cadence or ad hoc - just make sure your sales and marketing department are mates. 

Marketing can ask sales:

• What questions are leads asking before they buy?

• What objections are popping up most?

• What’s landing well in sales conversations?

Sales can ask marketing:

• Can we get content that addresses those FAQs and objections?

• Can you help us tackle industry frustrations or misperceptions?

• Can you give us a heads-up when new campaigns go live so we’re aligned?

What it unlocks

When sales and marketing teams align, the entire funnel flows better. Prospective clients feel seen by the messaging they see from first interaction, any continued content is relevant and valuable to them, sales become proactive and responsive, across all campaigns and messaging marketing has put out there. 

At Brandshake, we know all of our efforts should support sales, reflect real customer conversations, engage a brand's customer-and-potential-customer base and drive commercial outcomes. Otherwise, what the f*ck would clients be paying us (or any marketing or brand function) for? 

Want this kind of no BS approach of continued insight, value and strategic insight? With a newly grown team, we've got capacity for project and retainer clients. Get in touch, we'd love to hear from you.